Circular loom.



W. R. SMITH.

CIRCULAR LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1906.

908, 1 6 1 Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

4 SHEETSSHEET 1.

W. E. SMITH.

CIRCULAR LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1906.

908, 1 6 1 Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ig/7265565: I jfl'YZZT.

Wgfj 2 W R. SMITH.

GIRGULAR LOOM.

APPLIGATiON'IILED JUNE 8, 1906.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

W. R. SMITH.

CIRCULAR LOOM. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1906.

Patented Dec.29, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

zfizqssea: Ga Q 5% UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. SMITH, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HERBERT H;

' HEWITT, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

CIRCULAR LOOM.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

Application filed June s, 1906. Serial No. 320,709.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM R. SMITH, of Buffalo, in thecounty of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circular Looms, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a circularloom adapted to weave a tubular fabric of any desired number of plies, and

to beat the weft threads into the shed formed by the warp threads, thereby giving the fabshuttles engaged with the said race, and:

adapted to pass through the sheds formed by the warp threads, and a reed engaging the warp threads, andadapted to beat the filling threads into the apex of the shed, all as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming ,a part of this s ecification,-Figure 1 represents a front e evation of a portion of a circular loom embodying my invention. Fig. 2

represents a section on line 22'of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a view similar to Fig. 1,

. showing a modified construction of the shuttle-operating mechanism. Fig. 4 represents a side elevation of the loom.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings 12 represents a fixed cylindrical mandrel, which is preferably tubular, and is or may be curved at its outer portion, as indicated at 13.

14 represents a lay having a central opening through which the mandrel passes, the said opening being preferably concentric the mandrel, and of sufficient diameter to permit the passage of the converging warp threads, hereinafter described, from a shedding mechanism at the rear side of the lay, to

, a point on the mandrel at the front side of the lay. The lay is movable in a direction parallel with the mandrel on fixed guides 15 supported by the frame 16 of the loom, the

ing said guides. Suitablemechanism 1s em.- ployed for reciprocating the lay, the mechanism here shown including a rotary shaft 18, having cranks 19, which are connected by pods 20 with ears '21 on the backside of the The lay is provided with a reed 22, composed of thin parallel strips of metal, or other suitable material, the reed being provided at its central portion with an orifice, which interrupts the continuity of the central reed strips, and is surrounded by a suitable collar 24 ermanently attached to the interrupted ree strips, and to the continuous strips ad'acent thereto. The 'said orifice surrounds t e mandrel 12, the wall of the orifice, formed by the ring or collar 24, beingadapted to slide freely upon the mandrel. The reed projects from opposite sides of the mandrel, its arrangement relative to the mandrel being such that it guides the warp threads 25 26 from a.

set of harnesses27 to the mandrel, the two series of warp threads converging frompoints at opposite sides of the mandre Thewarp threads are divided into two series, the

threads 25 comprising one series, and extend-.

ing from points at one side of the mandrel, and behind the lay, to the periphery of the mandrel in front of the lay, while the threads 26 constitute another series extending from the opposite side of the mandrel, behind the lay, to the periphery of the mandrel in front of the lay, the two series of threads coming together at the periphery of the mandrel, so that they form an annular series surrounding the mandrel, and extending a'rallel therewith in 'the completed fabrlc. The harnesses 27 are controlled by any suitableharness' mechanism, and are operated to form a shed in each series of warp threads, the threads of each series constituting the inner side of the shed, being in close proximity to the mandrel, while the threads constituting the outer side of the shed converge somewhat abruptly toward the mandrel, as shown in Fig. 2.

The lay is rovided with a circular shuttle lay being provided with ribs or gibs 17 engagrace, with w 'ch is engaged a rotary shuttle carrier 28, having one or more shuttles 29, which are moved in a circular ath around the mandrel by the rotation 'o the shuttle carrier, and areada ted to pass through the sheds formed by t e warp threads 25 26. The shuttle carrier 28 is preferably a ring,

i moving .in Fig. 1,

for carrier fitted to move in an annular guide formed for its reception in the lay, and provided on its outer periphery with gear teeth, which engage the teeth of a driving gear 30, affixed to a shaft 31. Said shaft is journaled in bearings on the frame, and has a key 50 in sliding engagement with a groove 51 in the gear 30, which moves forward and backward with the lay. The said shaft is rotated by any suitable means, so as to impart continuous rotation in one direction to the shuttle carrier, thus revolving the shuttles around the mandrel, and carrying them through the sheds of the warp threads.

Meansare provided for changing the point of connection between the shuttles and the shuttle carrier at suitable points, so that the part of the shuttle that is within the shed is always unobstructed. In the construction shown in Fig. 1 this change of connection is effected by means of rocking arms 32, pivoted at 33 to ears on the shuttle carrier, and providedat their ends with dogs 34 35, adapted 'to enter sockets 36 36, formed for their reception in the end portions of the shuttles. The arms 32 are provided at their inner sides with pivoted slides 37 shown by dotted lines which run in a fixed eam groove 38 on the lay, the shape of the groove being such that just before each shuttle reaches the shed through which it is to pass, the forward dog 34 is withdrawn from the shuttle by the action of the cam on the slide 37, the rear dog into engagement with the shuttle, and propelling it through the shed. After she the cam again acts on the slide 37 to insert the forward dog .34 in its socket, and

-withdraw the rear dog 35 before it reaches the outer rank of threads comprising the shed, the rear dog being thus caused to pass outside the threads, while the shuttle is propelled by the forward dog. This operation is repeated at each assage of the shuttle through a shed. In the construction shown in Fig. 3 the shuttles have segmental outer edges, on which are formed gear segments 39 meshing with small gears or pinions 40, which engage an internal gear 41 formed on the ring 28. The pinions '40 are journaled in bearings in the lay 14, and are so spaced apart that one pinion is always in engagement with each shuttle, the pinions which impel the shuttle duringits passage through the sheds being at opposite sides of the reed,

so that the part of the shuttle within the shed is unobstructed.

I do not deem it necessary to illustrate the mechanism for operatin the harnesses, as this ma be of any suitab e ty e.

It w' be understood that iih the two ranks of warpthleads forming each shed are reversed after each passage of a shuttle through the shed, the result being the weaving of a continuous tubular fabric,

the (point of the shuttle is passed through the sides of t e same,

e positions of which is fed progressively ata rate corresponding with the formation of the fabric, by means of suitable feed rolls 42, engaging the completed portion of the fabric at the outer portion of the mandrel, the said feed rolls being driven by suitable mechanism not shown. The feed movement causes the weft threads to assume a helical form, the said weft threads being beaten into the annular apex formed by the .junction of the two threads aroundthe mandrel by the of the fabric action of the reed when the lay is moved forward. The result is the formation of a closely woven tubular fabric having uniform.

density at all parts.

l The mechanism for rotating the driving gear 30 should be organized to give said gear and the shuttle carrier a varying speed,

the speed decreasing while the shuttles are passing through the sheds, and increasing whie the shuttles are passing from shed to she In Fig. 4 I have shown variable speed mechanism, comprising a shaft 43, which is driven from the same source of power as the shaft 18, and has an elliptical gear 44 meshing Withan elliptical gear 45 on a shaft46 which is geared to a shaft 47, the latter being geared to the shaft 31. The driving gear 30 and the said variable speed mechanism may be located at either side of the shuttle carrier. In Fig. 1. the said driving'gear is shown as located at the left of the shuttle carrier, while in Fig. 4 it is shown as located at the right. 1

I claim 1. In a circular loom the combination of a fixed mandreha lay'having a reed which surrounds and is movable upon the' mandrel, the warp threads in two series and guides convergin to the mandrel from opposite mechanism for formin sheds in the two series of warp threads,'an means for carrying weft threads around the mandrel and through the sheds. I 2. In a circular loom the combination of a fixed mandrel, a lay having a reed which surrounds and is movable upon the mandrel, and guides the warp threadsin two series convergin to the mandrel from opposite sides of t e same, the lay being provided with a circular shuttle racesurrounding the.

mandrel, a shuttle movable 1n said race through the war sheds, and means for impelling the shutt e.

3. n a circular loom the combination of a fixed mandrel, a lay having a reed which surrounds and is movable upon the mandrel and guides the'warp threads in two series con-j ver ing to the mandrel from opposite sides of t e same, the lay being provided with a circular shuttle race surrounding the mandrel, a shuttle carrierrotatable in the shuttle race, a shuttle, and means for connecting the carrier with different parts'of the shuttle,

said means being organized to permit the passa e of the shuttle through the. sheds.

4. n a'circular loom the combination of a fixed mandrel, a lay having a reed. which surrounds and is movable upon the mandrel,

through the warp sheds, and varying speed driving mechanism for impelling the shuttle] .5. Ina loom, the combination of a mandrel, a shuttle-supporting member having a shuttle-race, a rotative'memb'er surrounding the shuttle-supporting member and provided with a shuttle actuator, and shed forming mechanism, the shuttle actuator being adapted to move the shuttle through the she and the fabric woven being adapted to be formed upon the mandrel.

6. In a loom, the combination of a mandrel, a lay, a shuttle-supporting member fixed to the lay, a rotary member provided with a shuttle actuator, means for forming a shed, the shuttle actuator on the rotation of said rotary member being adapted to carry the shuttle through the shed and .the fabric being adapted to be, formed in tubular shape upon the mandrel.

7. In a loom, the combinationof a mandrel, a la a shuttle-sup orting, member carried by t e lay, -a revolu le member movable with the lay, a shuttle actuator carried by the revoluble member, means for/forming a shed, the shuttle actuator serving to carry the shuttle through the shed and the fabric as woven surrounding the mandrel, and a reed movable with the lay for compacting the fabric.

' 8. .In a loom, the combination of a lay, a mandrel extending through the lay, a ring surrounding the'mandrel and. connected to the lay, said ring having a shuttle race, a

revoluble member turnable upon the ring and provided with a shuttle actuator for the shuttle, means for forming a shed, the shuttle actuator being adapted to movethe shuttle through the shed, and the fabric being Woven in tubular form u on themandrel.

- 9. In a loom, t e combination of a mandrel, a lay, a shuttle-supporting member connected with the lay, a revoluble member movable with the lay, a shuttle actuator, and shed forming mechanism, thelshuttle actuator being adaptedto carry the shuttle I through the shed, the fabric being lproduced in tubular form'around the mandre and the said shuttle supporting member having means to operate the shuttle actuator withrespect to t e shuttle to carry the shuttle actuator free of the shed as sa d revoluble member turns.

10. In a loom, a shuttle supporting member having a substantially annular shuttle.

race, a shuttle to travel in said race, a rotative member surrounding the shuttle supporting member, and means cooperative with said rotative member for actuating the shuttle.

ber having a shuttle race, and a rotative membersurrounding the shuttle supporting member and provided with shuttle actuating ber havinga substantially annular shuttle race, and opposite shed receiving apertures intersecting respectively said race.

14. In a loom, a shuttle su porting niember having a shuttle-race, a s uttle actuator movable around the shuttle su porting member, and means for operating t e shuttle actuator to cause it to alternately engage opposite ends of a shuttle in said race.

15. In a loom, a shuttle supporting member having a'shuttle race, a rotative member cooperative with the shuttle supporting memberjand provided with opposite arms, and means to o erate the shuttleactuator during the turning movement of'saidrotative member to cause the arms to alternately engage a shuttle.

16. The, combination of a mandrel, a'lay havmg a; reed movable relatively to the man- 'drel for guiding warp'threads in a: lurality of series to the mandr mechanism or forming seplarate sheds in said series of war threads, an through the sheds.

- In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

. WILLIAM R. SMITH.

Witnesses: v O. F. BROWN,

.W. W. BEERB.

means for carrying a. we t thread.

. 70 j 11. In a loom, a shuttle supporting mem 

